2015 Napa Valley Showhouse: Revival on Randolph Street

Like fine wine, some homes just get better with age—especially when nearly two dozen designers coax out their vintage charm, as they did with three properties on Randolph Street in the downtown historic district of Napa, California. Selected to be part of the 2015 Napa Valley Showhouse, held in conjunction with and benefiting the Napa Valley Film Festival, each house possesses a rich history that speaks to the town’s storied past as a steamboat port, a railroad hub, and an agricultural center that grew into a world-renowned wine district. Shining again are an 1880s Napa Bungalow at 367 Randolph Street, a 1935 Tudor Revival at 375 Randolph, and an 1860 Victorian at 411 Randolph. Join us for a tour.

Famed for its stint in the early 1900s as a maternity ward where more than 100 babies were delivered by the original owner’s midwife-granddaughter, this 1860 Victorian was reborn when Karen and Dan Lynch bought the property and re-envisioned it as the Inn on Randolph, a modern bed-and-breakfast. Leslie Kalish and Gayle Leksan executed the renovation of the inn property, which the Lynches have since sold.

“The sitting room is the first room you see upon entering, and it holds the responsibility of setting the tone,” Kalish says. The space is blessed with extraordinary bones, which the design team enriched by adding window casings, crown moldings, and wainscot wall panels. They also totally redecorated every room for a relaxed ambience.

To give the original built-in secretary a face-lift, the inside shelves were painted a dark hue. A woven ottoman, a beige rug, and custom art add to the room’s breezy mood. “The space clearly says, ‘Come sit; we’ll take care of you,’ ” Kalish says.

On a property behind the inn, a small cottage still owned by the Lynches beckons in gray, blue, and blush tones after a to-the-studs makeover by Kim Scodro. “The bed canopy and low-hanging lantern by Circa Lighting bring the ceiling height down, while the soft palette adds comforting freshness,” she says. Throughout the cottage, Scodro targeted relaxation with a sense of sophistication.

Sliding barn doors that lead to the adjacent bathroom insert a rustic aura into the space, white wall and floor tile from Crossville add polish. Emphasizing the shine are a quartz vanity countertop by Cambria, twin sinks, and platinum-nickel sink faucets and shower fixtures from DXV by American Standard.

The 1880s Napa Bungalow bought by newlyweds Carlisle and Paul Engelhardt—complete with porch and Victorian-style corbels—retains its historic charm even though it has been entirely restored. Jennifer Orne created a sunny welcome on the front porch using Woodard’s clean-lined loveseats with powder-coated aluminum frames to flank the door. Potted lemon trees add a splash of color. “I wanted to replicate all the citrus from the backyard,” Orne says. Yellow and green accent pillows and coordinating garden stools continue the vibrant scheme. Final touches include hanging and portable lanterns by Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights and dark hickory decking from Azek Building Products.

John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon partnered with Ballard Designs to create the colorful living room. Employing textiles from their Madcap Cottage collection for Robert Allen, the design duo layered the space—anchored by slipper chairs, a round ottoman, and a nailhead-trimmed settee—in floral and painterly animal prints.

To lighten up the dark wood-paneled den, Kriste Michelini had the walls hand-painted in a dimensional design and added natural white fiber shades and linen panels on the windows. Bursts of teal and chartreuse adorn the patchwork area rug and vintage lounge chairs re-covered in faux-bois velvet. A white pedestal table pairs with midcentury walnut chairs to provide the perfect work space or eating area. The globe chandelier overhead is the designer’s favorite.

“A crisp white backdrop was the ideal canvas for building the layers of this classic yet modern kitchen,” says Lori Gilder, who collaborated with Rebecca Reynolds to design the character-filled room. For a fresh spin on the ever-popular subway tile installation, they extended Crossville’s matte white tile backsplash from the Cambria countertops to the ceiling. Tracery detailing draws eyes upward and injects architectural interest. The farmhouse-style sink and pull-down faucet below the double-hung window are from DXV by American Standard. Viking’s dual-fuel range, custom hood, paneled refrigerator, and undercounter microwave ensure the kitchen is equipped for entertaining.

White Shaker-style cabinets and a mobile oak island by Medallion Cabinetry keep clutter tucked away and increase efficiency. In the breakfast nook, a new door and window from Marvin open the space to the deck beyond.

A tufted-leather banquette, a modern white tulip table, and vintage bistro chairs discovered in Berkeley expertly blend old with new. Across from the table, bark wallcovering serves as an organic backdrop for barware. Patterned black-and-white cement floor tiles insert flair.

Returning outdoors, the back deck—also designed by Jennifer Orne—is punctuated by pops of bright yellow. The coffee table, ottoman, and high-back wicker sofa and barrel chair are by Woodard. Garden stools perform double duty, serving as side tables or extra seating. Azek Building Product’s white “Premier Rail” outlines the deck, echoing the area rug’s awning stripes.

“The Woodard dining table was such a hit,” Orne says. Featuring an aluminum top painted to look like wood, “the finish was so convincing you had to touch it to know the difference.” The copper lanterns are by Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights.

“It felt like a waste to have a guest room that wouldn’t be used for a majority of the year,” says Courtney Lake, taking into account the home’s small footprint. Incorporating floor-to-ceiling draperies allows the space to be divided into two multipurpose areas. The modular banquette with underseat shelving reconfigures into an oversize twin bed. “Someone can take a nap by drawing the drapes, and another person can read in the comfy armchair,” the designer explains. Moody textiles in cool tones call to mind foggy Napa mornings. A leather stool invites guests to put up their feet, while the round table is ideal for eating, correspondence, or playing games.

Exuding a spa-like ambience, the peaceful bath by Lisa Mende entices guests to take a soak. Porcelain tiles from Crossville, reminiscent of marble, adorn the floor and walls. “The floor tiles were laid in a herringbone pattern to give the traditional look an updated feel,” Mende says.. Circa Lighting’s star-motif sconces flank the mirror above the console sink with a platinum-nickel faucet—both from DXV by American Standard. A vintage chandelier completes the luxurious oasis.

David Hansen wanted the master bedroom to cultivate an unexpected and well-traveled aura—note the patterned duvet cover and pillow shams inspired by Milan’s streetcar tracks. The designer fully committed to Pratt & Lambert’s “Dusk Sky” paint, using it on the walls and trim, with a related shade on the ceiling.

“Applying the same color on everything—even the window treatment—allowed the furniture pieces to become the ‘heroes,’ ” Hansen says. White bedside tables topped with fluted lamps team with orange and fuchsia flowers to spice up the cool-blue palette. Large artwork and a vibrant area rug make the small 10x12-foot space seem bigger.

This two-story 1935 Tudor Revival was originally a wedding gift for Hector and Dorothy MacLean, film aficionados who had their moment of silver-screen glory in 1958 in the Rock Hudson film This Earth Is Mine. Another star now owns the home, brilliant young winemaker Drew Neiman. He established Neiman Cellars in 1997, handcrafting artisan small-batch wines that are served at such fine establishments as The French Laundry and The Beverly Hills Hotel. A dozen designers lent their talents to refresh Drew’s home, which includes an office, a backyard patio, and an upstairs master suite.

Guests first enter the living room, a space that Matt O’Dorisio wanted to appear larger. To accomplish that, he targeted the fireplace and windows. Ivory draperies and woven shades frame the windows while textured porcelain Laminam from Crossville was used to reface the fireplace. A new Napoleon fireplace insert is accented by a distinctive bronze firescreen embellished with Brazilian agate. “Playing with the scale of everything added interest and helped give the illusion the space is bigger than it is,” the designer says. A vintage wine table holds Circa Lighting’s sculptural gilt lamp.

The pantry is all about color, thanks to Crossville’s custom tile backsplash designed by the Macfees and to Pratt & Lambert’s “Mt. Vernon Green” painted walls. Leather pulls accent the Medallion Cabinetry, finished with a slate-gray quartz countertop from Cambria. A wine refrigerator from Thermador keeps libations cool and well-presented. The sink and bronze bar faucet are from DXV by American Standard. Glassware is from Simon Pearce.

For the office, “I wanted a functional space for a no-fuss kind of guy,” says Erinn Valencich. Textured window treatments and an exquisite, soft-gray sisal wallcovering jump-started the design. “I fell absolutely in love with the white sheer draperies’ ‘fuzzy’ textured lines,” the designer says. Continuing the neutral, nubby theme are the pillow-adorned daybed and the faded vintage rug. The camel side table originally belonged to Valencich’s grandmother. The large porcelain vase overflowing with greenery is by Rookwood for Mottahedeh.

Envisioning the homeowner’s mother as the primary guest room inhabitant, Nanette Gordon fashioned a feminine escape in tranquil tones. The bed, complete with an oversize tufted headboard and a Frette cashmere bedspread, exudes comfort. A sunburst mirror, polished-nickel pendant lights, and a sweet, curved bench turn up the glamour while linen shades let sunlight stream in through the windows.

Nestled between the guest room and office, the downstairs bath by Miyuki Yamaguchi celebrates “the wonder of wine country.” The barn-style vanity cabinet, birdcage murals, and timber mirror “all play a role in expressing my Napa nature theme,” Yamaguchi says. The sconces are from Circa Lighting.

“Masculine yet approachable” is how Kerrie Kelly describes the upstairs master suite. Located in what is typically considered the attic, its roof pitch and sparse wall space proved challenging for the designer. There wasn’t enough depth to build a bookshelf in the sitting room, so Kelly instead applied a wallcovering that playfully creates the look of one. Underneath navy blue pinstripe chairs by Wesley Hall, a hide rug is laid atop natural jute for added texture.